How to play behind an absolute maniac?

[sungod]

I've sat down at a table where a maniac is seated to the immediate right of me, so if I want to see any cards I will have to cold-call or 3-bet everytime. As I'm a fairly new player (have about 15k hands to my name) I've not yet been in a situation quite like this.

Having a maniac like this also influences the table, people suddenly starts to play very loose to get their share of his chip spewing.

The maniac at this table had 75,68% VPIP, and 73% preflop raise through 37 hands. I do understand I don't meet such people often (enough), but when I sit to their direct left it's nice to know how to handle them. Here's an example hand I think went pretty good, but it might have been overly aggressive and recklessly played?

As I said, the maniac is to my direct left, so he's UTG. MP1 is 34 VPIP/5,36 PRF through 57 hands. Button is 46 VPIP/3,57 PRF through 28 hands.

Party Poker 0.5/1 Hold'em (10 handed) converter

Preflop: Hero is UTG+1 with 7[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img], 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].
<font color="#CC3333">UTG raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero 3-bets</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, <font color="#CC3333">MP1 caps</font>, <font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, Button calls, <font color="#666666">2 folds</font>, UTG calls, Hero calls.

Flop: (17.50 SB) 8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img], Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(4 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">UTG bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, MP1 folds, Button calls, UTG calls.

Turn: (11.75 BB) 9[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, Button folds, UTG calls.

River: (13.75 BB) 4[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
UTG checks, <font color="#CC3333">Hero bets</font>, UTG folds.

Final Pot: 14.75 BB


Thanks for any input.

[McGahee]

Be thankful he's not on your left.

[mannika]

Generally preflop you'll want to 3-bet to isolate any decent hands you have that are good HU or in 3-way pots (big broadway generally). If the maniac is super aggressive postflop as well, you'll want to try and limit the field if possible by playing aggressively as well, and if you manage to get it HU, don't be afraid to call down with ace-high on many boards.

Generally, having a maniac directly to your right is the BEST place to have one. Your results will be very volatile, but much better than normal.


And yes, be VERY thankful he's not on your left.

[Rev. Good Will]

nice hand :-)

[Ivanapolis]

Who is the maniac here? Hero? But seriously, this is of course the only way to play 77 behind an automatic-raiser - to push out the other opponents. Although I think it's correct to fold small pairs in this situation with so many opponents yet to act.

[grjr]

[ QUOTE ]
The maniac at this table had 75,68% VPIP, and 73% preflop raise through 37 hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

Heh, I guess he mis-clicked one time.

I play it the same way as you did and hope he didn't have a hand this time. Generally though, I like to wait for a stronger hand to make a stand with. Even maniacs get good cards their fair-share of the time.

[Ivanapolis]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In Antwort auf:</font><hr />


Generally, having a maniac directly to your right is the BEST place to have one. Your results will be very volatile, but much better than normal.


And yes, be VERY thankful he's not on your left.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nonsence. Sitting on the left of a maniac is poor. Bob Ciaffone calls it the "death-seat". If he sits on your right you can try to control the maniac (seldom sucessful), if he is on your left you control the whole table.

[droolie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


Generally, having a maniac directly to your right is the BEST place to have one. Your results will be very volatile, but much better than normal.


And yes, be VERY thankful he's not on your left.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nonsence. Sitting on the left of a maniac is poor. Bob Ciaffone calls it the "death-seat". If he sits on your right you can try to control the maniac (seldom sucessful), if he is on your left you control the whole table.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree 100%. Being able to close the action is a great thing when you have a wicked psycho maniac on your left. If he's raising almost every pot you can still isolate him just as easily as if he was to your right.

[mannika]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


Generally, having a maniac directly to your right is the BEST place to have one. Your results will be very volatile, but much better than normal.


And yes, be VERY thankful he's not on your left.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nonsence. Sitting on the left of a maniac is poor. Bob Ciaffone calls it the "death-seat". If he sits on your right you can try to control the maniac (seldom sucessful), if he is on your left you control the whole table.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree 100%. Being able to close the action is a great thing when you have a wicked psycho maniac on your left. If he's raising almost every pot you can still isolate him just as easily as if he was to your right.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm, guess you're right here, I was thinking more along the lines of a preflop LAG, which is beneficial to have to your right, but I guess if he's a maniac postflop, then having him to your left could be quite beneficial.

[MrWookie47]

That's an interesting point that I'll have to try out in my play, should the opportunity arise.

I think the real friend in this hand is the button, who called 4 cold preflop, 2 cold on the flop, and then folded the turn.